The field of the invention is footwear, and the invention relates more particularly to footwear with molded shoes of the type generally referred to as "gym shoes" and furthermore, of the type of "gym shoe" that has a light in the sole thereof.
Gym shoes, or more specifically basketball, jogging, and tennis shoes, have become a large selling product particularly to the youth. Since many such shoes are often worn at night, ways are needed to improve visibility for safety. Various designs have been devised for providing a bright light in the sole of a shoe. Applicant's co-pending application, Ser. No. 07/806,925 filed Dec. 11, 1991, shows a design of intermittently lighted shoe which utilizes the weight of the wearer to move down a conductor of a light-emitting diode into contact with a wafer battery. While this design is very satisfactory for most uses, a design which does not require the wearer to depress and deform the lighted module, would be useful. Furthermore, more of an on and off flashing action to the light-emitting diode would provide a somewhat more flashy appearance which is beneficial from a marketing as well as a safety standpoint, by providing a more visible signal.